Tuesday, June 30, 2009

It was a bridge day for me. The bad weather was moving in. I set up to do a work from a photo I took in Paris years ago. I feel it's the strongest thing I did on the trip. Bridge over the Seine.I've taken a new picture with less glare. This is the new pic.

Monday, June 29, 2009

The morning had good light. I drove east to Chatham and ran into heavy drizzle. Turned around and went back to Saquatuckett Harbor. The light was improving there so I set up (with permission) right along the boat dock. Still gray day conditions but I liked the scene. After completion of the painting a boat rolled in with a serious catch of striped bass. I became hungry and envious.

The second piece is from Fort Hill. A rare chance to get a good downhill view on the Cape.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Back from 4 days of painting on Cape Cod. I arrived there Wednesday evening and did a quick painting in overcast conditions. I chose a small lake close to our cabin in Dennisport as a painting site. Used the knife for most massing and moved the paint with brushes and stand oil.

I'll post each days work in the following days. Yes, the sun came out finally! My painting comrades endured days of heavy wind and rain before I got there, so we were all excited to see the improving conditions.

Monday, June 22, 2009

I did another knife block in, then pulled out the brushes. While knifing in I felt good about the process and the painting was developing loosely and believable. I left the lightest values white and the painting was almost good enough in my eye albeit more as an abstract than a representational piece.

I pulled out the brushes and immediately found myself tightening up. Not good. I found myself trying to paint individual characteristics within the rock formations. I was attempting to use the brushes to draw. Again, not good. I'm better now at getting over these hurdles thanks to so many years of knife work. I quickly adjusted and went to the proper mindset. KILL. keep it loose larry.

Off to the cape soon. The weather there has been horrid so I've delayed my arrival time. Probably only be able to paint 3 days

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Back from a good show on the Jersey Shore. Good sales and great art! It is great to meet so many art enthusiasts at these shows and engage in wonderful dialogue about art and the process of creating it with people from all over the country and world for that matter.

I did get back to doing a new painting from some California studies. I'm already beginning to feel a nice rhythm switching from knife to brush and back. I find by mixing my knife block in and then mixing some more of the same colors on the far side of my palette I can quickly apply block in then get to work with the brushes. This is encouraging and seems to make the best use of time. Granted these are studio pieces and things will change outdoors. I'm going to Cape Cod next week to paint with the 7 livelies group and will implement these new techniques and can't wait for the results. So here's the latest.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Here's another coastal scene. I love the strength of the rocky outcroppings. Again applied paint with the knife and pushed it with the brushes. I'm building towards big work. I might just mix directly on canvas and then use brushwork on the big plein air stuff.

Monday, June 8, 2009

9"x12" oil/panel

Had a bit of a breakthrough tonight. Tried applying all paint with the knife and then moving it with the brushes. I attempted this with the same subject as I did last post just a smaller canvas. Disaster! I've mentioned before if I do something once I rarely do it again. This proves monumental in painting, for me. In this case it was only subject matter but apparently that is enough. I wiped it down about 45 minutes in. I took a deep breath and looked at my other studies from California. I decided to attempt the same process but with a new subject. I immediatly felt better and could see the painting in my head. It seems once I've burned an image in my mind and created a work from that image I find it very difficult to do the same image in another fashion. This new work felt good from the start. I mixed all colors first for the massing in, applied via knife and felt I could have finished the piece as such. I am working towards doing large plein air work-over 30 inches- so the idea of knife application seemed a bit difficult to negotiate and I will still have to contend with this mixing dilema. ( need a huge palette). Anyhow I'm posting the block in and finished piece.

I feel the last post, although painted "loosely" feels tight. I concentrated on the brushwork but I am most interested in paint. In fact I have said for me painting is all about the paint. I got away from that idea and need to get back to it. I still am most interested in how artists can manipulate paint, myself included. I think this latest piece is a good direction and incorporates both knife and brush.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Second one from my California studies. I'm sticking with the standard method of thin wash first establishing lights and darks. Then add colors thinly to establish color and value ranges, then adding more pigment. Finally adding any details that I might find appealing or necessary. By using this method I find it exciting to see the painting develop out of abstact masses. With the knife, often times the first appliction is the last.

I will attempt some works by applying paint with the knife then moving it with brushes. Maybe even these same studies to see the difference. I suspect I'll get the thick paint that I like but remains to be seen how tough it will be to keep things accurate. The colors came out a bit washed out on this one and I may add to it after letting it rest awhile. At any rate it's exciting to experiment.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

I'm stopping at this point. I wanted to keep it loose and show the brush strokes. I did not achieve the thick paint application I was hoping for, however after a 7 year absence from brush work I'll take it. I'm trying to keep the light believable and will introduce thicker paint when it feels right.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

As stated, I'm now using brushes. It's been at least 7 years since I've touched a brush. All the knife work has taught me alot but I've been feeling limited in my abilities lately. This new approach is very exciting and I feel like a new world is in front of me. Here is my first rough in of a landscape from sketches and a photo from California. This was done quickly and I need to relearn my mixing of the slurry on my palette. Controlling warm and cool again proves troublesome. I'm divided between mixing with the knife and applying with the brush or just use brushes exclusively. At any rate I'm excited with the new direction and will post the next application to this piece very soon.

About Me

I am an oil painter. I paint mostly from direct observation both indoors and out. I studied at the Art Students League Manhattan under Daniel Dickerson. In my work I strive to maintain a balance between abstraction and representation all the while keeping atmosphere most important. View my show schedule to see where I'll be exhibiting.